1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the game of golf, and more specifically to a portable putting surface formed of a plurality of individual panels removably coverable with a continuous covering of simulated putting green. The heights of various portions of the panels and surface are independently adjustable so that upward and/or downward slopes may be provided, as well as sloping one or more of the panels to one side or the other to create a left and/or right slope along the path of the surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
The game of golf has enjoyed ever increasing popularity as the leisure time available to people has increased over the years. One of the attractions of the game is that while the basic principle is extremely simple, the various elements involved in the play of the game are nearly infinite, with practically every shot being unique. Many players tend to take the game quite seriously, and as a result, numerous devices have been developed to aid players, from training aids to more efficient clubs to higher performance golf balls to better shoes and other equipment, etc.
One type of device which has been developed is the simulated putting green, or a portion thereof, many of which have been constructed to be portable so a player may set up the simulated green for practice in a basement, recreation room, back yard, etc., and polish his or her putting game accordingly. However, as noted above, the natural lie of the terrain of a golf course leads to a practically infinite number of different situations which may be encountered by a golfer, and most such artificial devices do little to simulate some of the irregularities which can occur on a green, such as different slopes. While some earlier devices have seen the need to provide different slopes to simulate such conditions, such devices are generally cumbersome to set up, have limited or no adjustability, and/or have some other deficiency which makes their utility less than ideal.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a portable golf putting surface which is formed of a plurality of separate sections with a continuous length of simulated golf green material removably installed thereover. The separate sections are each independently adjustable for height on each side thereof, thus enabling a user of the device to set up upward, downward, left, and/or right slopes with the present portable surface. The assembly and height or slope adjustment of the present device is accomplished quickly and easily in comparison to earlier devices of the related art, by various novel attachment and adjustment means. A discussion of the related art known to the present inventor, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,612,291 issued on Dec. 28, 1926 to George P. Jackson describes an. Indoor Golf Game having a raised area around the cup, and a ramp having a fixed slope leading to the raised cup area. The raised area is adjustable to provide varying slopes in different directions, but the adjustments are not accessible from the upper side of the device. The device is cumbersome to set up, as several flexible metal strips must be assembled with several adjustable jackscrews in a matrix, then covered with burlap and carpeting. No side rails are provided by Jackson for his putting area, whereas the present invention includes side rails which serve to connect the various panels together and also to hold externally accessible adjustment screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,756 issued on Apr. 28, 1970 to William A. Bedford, Jr. describes a Variable Surface Putting Device wherein a flexible sheet of material is resiliently suspended from a tubular frame. The frame includes a plurality of upstanding members, with the resilient connections between frame and flexible sheet being independently vertically adjustable on each of the upstanding members. The present portable putting surface comprises a plurality of individual panels temporarily overlaid with a continuous sheet of simulated putting green, whereas the surface of the Bedford, Jr. device is a thin, flaccid, freely suspended sheet of material. Moreover, Bedford, Jr. fails to disclose any side rails or other means of retaining a golf ball on the surface of his flaccid sheet, whereas the present invention includes such side rail ball retaining means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,917 issued on Apr. 17, 1973 to George D. MacLean describes a Variable Contour Golf Putting Device comprising a plurality of hingedly connected panels each having a side rail affixed thereto. The hinges are attached to alternating upper edges of the side rails and alternating lower surfaces, so the device may be folded in a series of Z bends (accordion folds) for storage. The device is limited in comparison to the present invention, as it is relatively bulky when stored due to the height of the alternating side rails between every other panel when folded. Also, while MacLean provides means for the adjustment of the slope of various sections, the relatively rigid panels do not allow any lateral slope to be installed. Further, the dowels and blocks used to adjust the elevation of different panels provide relatively limited adjustment, compared to the infinitesimally fine adjustment provided by the present threaded adjusters.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,887 issued on Jan. 7, 1975 to Karl L. Wallin describes a Miniature Golf Course comprising a plurality of generally radially disposed courses extending from a central hole area. Wallin specifies that his floor members and side members are all extremely rigid and that plural lengths are rigidly affixed to one another to form a rigid and inflexible course, unlike the flexible nature of the present invention. Also, Wallin permanently affixes the side rails to each of his floor panels, unlike the present invention. Further, the adjustment means provided by Wallin is directed to leveling the entire course over uneven terrain, and thus teaches away from providing variable slopes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,412 issued on Jul. 1, 1975 to Bonny B. Koo describes a Putting Practice Green comprising a plurality of separate pneumatically inflatable pads, each secured to a rigid backing board. No side rails are provided by Koo to retain a ball laterally on the surfaces. Moreover, no connecting means are provided by Koo to secure the panels together, as are provided by the present invention. The simulated green overlay is not continuous, as in the present invention, and adjustment of the slope is cumbersome and time consuming, as several inflatable containers are provided in each pad, each of which must be inflated or deflated as desired when adjustment is to be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,682 issued on Oct. 24, 1989 to Michael Paolillo describes a Practice Putting Game comprising a rigid central area with symmetrical ball receiving areas (not holes) at each end thereof. The device is more akin to a game than to a simulated putting green, as the ball receiving areas are each divided into three compartments, with the central compartment including a plurality of vertically suspended, swinging rods which must be deflected by the ball for the ball to enter. Each of the ends is sloped rearwardly, away from the central surface, but the slope is fixed to retain the balls better thereon. The carpeting material is permanently bonded to the rigid base material, instead of being temporarily placed thereon as in the present invention. Also, Paolillo does not provide any side rails along the central portion of his device, as he does not teach the provision of any slope therealong which would tend to deflect the ball to the side.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,280 issued on Mar. 26, 1991 to Burl D. Hines describes an Adjustable And Folding Putting Green comprising only two longitudinal sections hingedly secured together, with a third hingedly attached section pivotable to a lateral position. The two longitudinal sections are hinged together along their bottom edges, resulting in at least a slight gap or seam between the separate sections of artificial turf even when the sections are extended. Hines provides for the adjustment of the level of the device but the adjusting levers do not provide infinite adjustment, as provided by the present invention, and are disposed beneath the edges of the playing surface, unlike the present invention. Also, Hines fails to provide any side rails along the edges of his device, which side rails are a part of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,016 issued on Dec. 15, 1992 to Charles J. Kamal describes an Apparatus For Practicing Putting And Chipping, comprising two separable shallow box-like panels with a simulated grass or turf material removably secured thereover. Side panels are included only about one half of the device, rather than along the entire sides of the device as in the present invention. Thus, the side panels do nothing to secure the two portions together. The slope is adjustable, but only to a limited extent, as the device provides sloped internal passages for automated return of the ball, and excessive downward slope toward the hole would cancel the ball return slope. Also, the slope adjustment is by blocks of fixed thickness placed under the device, rather than by infinitely adjustable jackscrews extending above the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,303 issued on Jun. 7, 1994 to Samuel Kim describes a Putting Green With Adjustable Topography And Multi-Ball Return. The device comprises several permanently secured, foldable sections which cannot be disassembled from one another, as in the present invention. At least one embodiment discloses side members which are pivotally secured together to allow the device to be folded, but the side members are permanently attached to the playing surface and to each other, unlike the separable components of the present invention. Moreover, the Kim slope adjustment means requires an overhead frame to carry a series of cords therethrough, which cords are attached to various points on the playing surface and are pulled to raise different points as desired. The frame must remain in place during play for slope adjustment, and tends to obscure the player's view of the surface. The area above the putting surface of the present invention, is completely devoid of any overlying structure, unlike the Kim device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,368. issued on Jul. 4, 1995 to Thomas R. Adams describes a Portable Practice Putting Device comprising a plurality of panels which are permanently secured together by hinges. The simulated grass overlay is permanently attached to the underlying panels, unlike the present invention. The device is relatively small, and includes means to restrict the lateral travel of the putter head in order to "groove" the putting stroke. This is the primary object of the Adams device, as the short and narrow length and lack of provision for any slope, limit the device insofar as any realistic putting practice is concerned.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,121,297 published on Dec. 21, 1983 to Declan T. Carolan describes a Putting Practice Unit comprising a pair of panels permanently hinged together. The simulated grass surface carpet material is permanently attached to the two panels. The device may provide for adjustable slope by means of a series of pivotally attached pegs which extend from channels which are clipped to the edges of the board. A separate surface is provided for the golfer to stand on. While the support pegs provide essentially infinite slope adjustment along the length of the surface, they are disposed below the surface, rather than above as in the present invention for convenience of adjustment. Moreover, the Carolan putting unit does not include any side rails, as provided by the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.